Cancer patients find solace in each other, relish sharing CSU's 'Fight Like a Ram' game

Amy Bibbey’s “mom radar” went up immediately when she read the text.

It was from Briana Tangredi, who Bibbey had hired as a student worker a couple years before at Colorado State’s College of Agricultural Sciences.

Tangredi’s text was simply asking if she could call, but it put Bibbey on high alert. Her instincts, sadly, were spot on.

Tangredi was calling to tell Bibbey she had been diagnosed with cancer.

“I was flabbergasted," Bibbey said. "It was the last thing I expected to hear.”

It was an almost unfathomable reversal of fortunes.

Bibbey was bald with a shaved head from her own cancer treatments when she interviewed Tangredi for that position.

Tangredi had been a huge part of Bibbey’s support system through her treatments for ovarian cancer, wrapping her in compassion. She ensured everything was deep cleaned and that Bibbey wouldn’t lift anything heavy.

Now Bibbey was giving tips on how to best manage treatments (pretzels and ginger candies help battle the terrible nausea).

Their journeys are remarkably similar. Both their mothers had breast cancer and both have a genetic mutation that puts them at high risk, which is in part how Tangredi learned she had breast cancer. Bibbey has had to go through breast cancer preventative surgeries as well.

Bibbey is now more than four years on from the start of her cancer treatments and Tangredi is more than two years in.

“It’s ongoing,” Bibbey said of the battle.

Saturday, they shared another part of their journey. Bibbey and Tangredi were part of the group of cancer patients honored as part of a CSU and UCHealth “Fight Like a Ram” initiative.

In its fourth season, the initiative pairs patients with CSU basketball players. The players wear the names of the cancer patients on their jersey and get a chance to meet and share stories before the game, which the men’s team played Saturday against Utah State.

It’s only fitting these two did it together (Bibbey was represented by No. 1 John Tonje and Tangredi by No. 22 Nick Bassett).

Unknown to each other, each was trying to nominate the other for recognition.

When Tangredi got the call from UCHealth asking if she wanted to participate, she only had one demand: “Yes, only if Amy can do it!”

“Doing this side-by-side is really meaningful,” Bibbey said.

They’re bonded forever. A simple job interview has led to a new family.

“Amy is like another mom to me. To have both of our names on a jersey is really special because CSU means so much to us,” Tangredi said. “It was definitely fate. It was meant to be. I was meant to work with them and meet Amy.”

The "Fight Like a Ram" initiative was one of the top highlights of a double-dip of basketball at Moby Arena Saturday. The CSU women hosted Wyoming and the men hosted Utah State. Here are takeaways from those games.

CSU women win thriller over Wyoming

The Rams pulled of a thrilling last-second win to beat Wyoming 66-63.

With the game tied in the final seconds, McKenna Hofschild drove the lane and fired a pass out to Cailyn Crocker at the 3-point line. She nailed the open shot, giving CSU the win.

Hofschild had another stellar game. She had a game-high 25 points (10-for-10 on free throws) to go with nine assists. Crocker scored 12. Kendyll Kinzer scored 17 for CSU.

The win moves the Rams into a three-way tie for second-place in the Mountain West. Wyoming is one of those teams, along with San Diego State. The Rams have the tiebreak on both after beating each opponent.

Wyoming was on a three-game win streak before the Rams won Saturday.

There are six games left in the regular season. Next up for CSU is Thursday, Feb. 9, at San Jose State.

CSU men lose shootout

How good was Utah State’s 3-point shooting Saturday night?

CSU shot 70% from the floor in the second half, scoring 47 points in that time frame. And still, Utah State outscored the Rams by eight in the period.

It was an incredible 3-point barrage from Utah State on the way to a 88-79 win over CSU in front of 6,018 fans.

Utah State (19-5, 8-3 Mountain West) hit 18 total 3-pointers. At one point in the second half the Aggies hit seven shots in a row, five of which were 3-pointers.

Steven Ashworth hit eight 3-pointers and scored 26 points to lead the Aggies.

CSU (10-14, 2-9 MW) shot 55% from the field but just 3-for-17 from 3-point range as the deep ball was the difference as CSU traded twos for threes with Utah State.

Isaiah Stevens led CSU with 25 points and John Tonje had 20 in one of his best games of the season.

CSU was missing six scholarship players in this game. Jalen Lake (concussion) and Tavi Jackson (illness) joined longterm absentees Jacob Jennissen (knee), Kyle Evans (thumb) and Josiah Strong (illness). Jack Payne is redshirting.

It left CSU with just seven scholarship players. Walk-on Trace Young played more than 6 minutes. The Rams have now lost five in a row and play at Air Force at 7 p.m. Tuesday, Feb. 7.

Follow sports reporter Kevin Lytle on Twitter and Instagram @Kevin_Lytle.

This article originally appeared on Fort Collins Coloradoan: Amy Bibbey and Briana Tangredi share special bond as CSU honors cancer patients